


Just Because We Are Broken, Doesn't Mean We Can't Be Fixed

by NewUserNamesAreHard



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 17:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20393674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewUserNamesAreHard/pseuds/NewUserNamesAreHard
Summary: Shinichi woke up screaming.Again.He hadn’t slept well since leaving Japan. Actually, he hadn’t slept well ever since he woke up on an operating table in Professor Agasa’s basement with a 6 year gap in his memory.





	Just Because We Are Broken, Doesn't Mean We Can't Be Fixed

Kaito smiled. He said all the right things. He made all the right gestures. And at the end of the night, he waved goodbye as if he were going home.

Only, he wasn’t going home. If he could even call that empty house home anymore. Home is supposed to be where the heart is, and Kaito wasn’t sure he even had a heart anymore. And if he did, it was broken. Shattered. Ground to dust.

He wasn’t sure when it had happened. Not the first year. Or the second. Or the third. Maybe the fourth… Or the fifth. But certainly by the sixth. By the sixth year, Shinichi was so much a part of Kaito’s life that it was hard to remember a time he hadn’t been there.

Their relationship had changed over time. Like all relationships. Only, their relationship wasn’t like other relationships. Shinichi was a mystery, a challenge, an enemy, an ally, a fluid constant in Kaito’s life. And now he was gone. And Kaito just felt… Empty. Hollow. Like the ghost of a ghost.

They had finally achieved their goals: burned the black organization to ashes; smashed Pandora to pieces; and gotten the antidote to APTX 4869. It was supposed to finally be time for Kaito to hang up his cape and Shinichi to step back into the spotlight as the modern-day Sherlock Holmes.

But it didn’t work out that way.

Haibara had warned them about potential side effects, including the estimated 13% chance of death, but they’d talked it through. They’d decided it was worth the risk. Shinichi didn’t want to live a lie anymore. And Kaito… Kaito couldn’t ask him to. But Haibara… hadn’t mentioned amnesia as a potential side effect.

It was like the previous 6 years had been wiped away in an instant. Shinichi was himself again, but not the version of himself that had fought tooth and nail to return. He was Ran’s Shinichi, not Kaito’s. And that hurt more than Kaito had ever thought possible.

He had tried to re-woo Shinichi early on. But those outings never ended well. Someone or another would be murdered and Shinichi would chase off after the murderer; Leaving Kaito behind. Then, less than three months after the mysterious return of the modern-day Holmes, Shinichi admitted that he couldn’t imagine how he and Kaito had become friends in the first place. After all, what did a detective and a magician really have in common?

When Shinichi said it, Kaito smiled and said he understood. But what hurt the most was that Shinichi believed him. That was when Kaito’s world truly crumbled.

Kaitou KID planned his next heist for exactly a week after that.

Shinichi didn’t even glance at the heist notice when it was published in the paper.

Then, when Ran’s wedding day came and went, Shinichi decided to take a job overseas with Interpol… and well, that was the end of hope for Kaito. There was no way he could win the detective back from half a world away.

Five weeks and two more heists later, Shinichi hugged Ran goodbye at the airport and headed to Europe, oblivious to Kaito’s overblown cries for attention.

-xoXox-

Shinichi woke up screaming.

Again.

He hadn’t slept well since leaving Japan. Actually, he hadn’t slept well ever since he woke up on an operating table in Professor Agasa’s basement with a 6 year gap in his memory. Since then, there had been a few nights he slept a full 8 hours in a dreamless sleep, but more often than not, he woke to the memory of pain.

This last dream had been different though. It was more than pain this time, the pitch black background of Shinichi’s previous dreams was lighter somehow, almost as if his eyes had caught a glimmer of light through a window. His therapist would be thrilled. “Shinichi?” She answered on the third ring.

“Doctor Phanenstel, something was different.”

“Did you remember something?” She questioned as if it weren’t a totally unreasonable time of night.

Shinichi hesitated for a moment. He’d gone through 4 other therapists already for reasons like this. Trying to explain unexplainable details. “It felt like moonlight.”

“Moonlight? That is… specific. But if you’d seen the moon, you would have said so. So what makes you so certain it was moonlight?”

“It _felt_ like moonlight.” Shinichi emphasized.

The silence that stretched over the phone line couldn’t have been very long, but it hung heavy in the air all the same. “What does moonlight feel like? Can you explain it?”

And that was why Shinichi liked the doctor. “Moonlight feels like… Moonlight feels like a promise, like hope.”

The sound of a smile came from the other end of the phone. “So does moonlight remind you of anyone?”

Shinichi’s shoulders sagged as he leaned against the headboard of his western style bed. “No one. Well, no.” That wasn’t really true was it? “Someone, but I don’t know who.” And if that wasn’t just as perplexing as _feeling _moonlight, he didn’t know what was.

“What can you tell me about them?”

Shinichi closed his eyes, leaning his head back. He wasn’t sure he had an answer to that. All he remembered from his dream was pain, then moonlight had filtered in, and there was one other thing wasn’t there? Something almost entirely drowned out by the sound of Shinichi’s screams. A name? No. A title? Or maybe a nickname? Shinichi sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. “I… Nothing. I can’t tell you anything about him.”

“Him?” The doctor questioned.

Shinichi sighed again. “Or her. I just don’t know Doc.”

“That’s alright. Try to get some more rest. I’ll see you on Thursday.”

-xoXox-

“Ugh. Why is he coming here?”

Shinichi raised his head. He wasn’t usually interested in the water cooler gossip, but his boss also wasn’t usually the one gossiping. “Who?”

“ID 1412”

Now why did that sound familiar? “ID 1412… Oh, Kaitou KID?”

“Why do you make it sound like it’s not a big deal? You know we have to try to catch the flashy bastard now, don’t you?”

Shinichi shot a disbelieving look at Agent Darrell Blake, his boss. “Why? He’ll steal his target regardless, making fools of us in the process, then return it after the next full moon.” Shinichi’s comment was met by dead silence. “What?”

“That’s not in 1412’s file. Are you sure?”

“Unless he changed his pattern since I last looked into him. I mean he found what he was looking for, so I guess he doesn’t have to stick to his old pattern.”

Blake assumed his thinking stance, a position that was often mistaken for communing with his coffee mug. “1412 found what he was looking for… The only gem he never returned. I’d always assumed those snipers that used to occasionally take shots at him ended up with it. That was the last heist they ever showed up to wasn’t it?”

Shinichi snorted. “Like they could catch KID.”

“Yeah,” one of Shinichi’s co-workers, Lizbeth Hyde, added, “until a year ago, everyone was just quietly thinking to themselves that the Japanese police force was doing something horribly wrong if 1412 could announce the time and locations of his heists and still get away. But ever since he went international again…”

A hum of mutual agreement filled the air.

“I wonder why he stayed in Japan so long.” Another member of the group mused. “You think he ran out of funds for a while and decided to stay local?”

Shinichi snorted again. “He stayed in Japan so long because its next to impossible to make it back in time for class the next morning when your heists are international.”

“Class?! You think he’s a teacher?!”

Seriously? Sometimes Shinichi wondered how his coworkers were as good at their jobs as they were. “No. Of course not. I thought you guys were familiar with the case. The current KID is in his early 20’s. He would have only graduated from university recently.”

Lizbeth scoffed. “So you like the second KID theory huh? Even if that’s true, why would he bother to go past the mandatory level of schooling?”

“Because he has a civilian persona to maintain of course. And someone with KID’s level of intelligence doesn’t just stop going to school. Even if it was probably a waste of his time.” Shinichi cocked his head to the side, feeling a grin spread across his face. “I wonder how many heists he planned while pretending to pay attention in class?”

Blake grinned back. “Why don’t you ask him when we catch him.”

-xoXox-

Kaito was excited for the first heist in what felt like forever. Someone had solved his heist notice within hours of delivery. And no, it wasn’t because Kaito was losing his touch or going soft. Though, he _had_ thought about simplifying his notices after his first international heist went unattended by the local police. Instead, he’d simply allowed his opponents a few extra days to sort things out by sending notices two weeks in advance.

And today, his fans had turned out in droves, many traveling considerable distances if the flags they waved were any indication. It was like being back in Japan. And that was bittersweet. Kaito hadn’t been able to bring himself to return to Japan ever since… ever since Shinichi had left. But maybe there was a new opponent here… someone else who could keep up with him… someone who didn’t have sapphire blue eyes and deadly aim with a soccer ball… someone who wasn’t Hakuba either.

As a matter of fact, Kaito was getting pretty fed up with the British prick. Especially since being back in London seemed to give the detective some sort of undeserved ego boost. Point in case, his voice cracking over the police radio that Kaito was borrowing.

“And that gentlemen, is how we are going to catch Kaitou KID.”

It wasn’t how they were going to catch Kaitou KID. For a multitude of reasons, but primarily because they weren’t going to catch Kaito at all. But, coming in as a close second, was the fact that this was a tried and not so true method Hakuba had devised to spread false information, hoping that Kaito would take the bait. The method’s success rate at confusing the daylight out of the local police was in fact, much higher than its success rate at even slowing Kaito down.

Kaito grinned. It was almost show time. And, oh what a show he had planned. It would certainly make up for the fact that he was currently squeezing through an air vent that was very, very tight. But that really wouldn’t matter in the next 47 seconds.

Wiggling just a bit further, Kaito slid out of the vent and took his place along the rafters. Then the countdown began. _“Three, two, one…”_

A flash of lights, a swirl of smoke, and Kaito stood atop the display case for the Endless Sky. “Thank you all for coming to my show!” He said in perfect English, his KID grin splitting his face. This was going to be fun.

“Give it up KID!” Hakuba shouted above the usual din of cheers and curses. “There’s no way out this time!”

“That’s never true and you know it Tantei-san.” Kaito chided. “Now where is my new detective?”

Hakuba looked confused for a full 3 seconds before a sour expression filled his face. “The Interpol agent that solved your notice said he’d wait for you.”

“Wait for me?” Kaito questioned as he side-stepped yet another officer’s attempt to reach him.

“Don’t ask me what he meant.” Hakuba shot back as he signaled for one of his traps to trigger. And Kaito might have, possibly, definitely, messed with said trap. A plume of fine glitter surrounded him as he made quick work of the display cases security system. Did he mention the glitter was mixed with laughing gas? The police around him wobbled drunkenly, falling over themselves as they tried to press forward.

Kaito smirked internally. After all, he couldn’t do it externally without risking a dose of the gas himself, his rebreather only worked if he kept the seal intact.

Hakuba looked like a disco ball. A disco ball with a shiny red laser dot focused on the center of his chest. Kaito’s body was moving before his brain finished processing what was happening. Skidding in front of Hakuba, Kaito’s eyes scanned the room as he pulled his card gun. It didn’t have great range, but it was big enough to act as a deterrent.

It appeared it wouldn’t be needed though. Not 30 feet away an Interpol agent leaned against the second-floor railing, a laser pointer in hand and a gas mask obscuring his face.

“KID you are under arrest.” Hakuba announced as he pulled Kaito’s hands behind his back.

That wouldn’t do though. Not all. Kaito couldn’t spend his whole night humoring Hakuba while his new detective was making his way towards the stairwell.

Somehow, Kaito just knew that the man would be waiting for him on the roof.

-xoXox-

The rest of KID’s escape to the rooftop seemed to go as planned, the majority of the law enforcement at the scene finding themselves stuck to the floors, the walls, and each other. Shinichi hadn’t really expected Hakuba to keep the thief in cuffs anyhow.

“That wasn’t a very nice trick.” KID commented casually as he strolled out into the moonlight.

“I didn’t break any rules.” Shinichi answered.

KID stopped near one of the railings, obviously spotting the other Interpol agents in the shadows and choosing to ignore them. He pulled the Endless Sky from his pocket and twirled it between his fingers. “No one gets hurt.”

“No one gets hurt.” Shinichi echoed. Truthfully, law enforcement the world over would be in trouble if KID ever changed his policy. But that just wasn’t the way KID was. “That’s how I knew you would move to protect Saguru. Though I’m a bit surprised you still wear a bullet proof vest now that the organization that was hunting you is gone.”

“Old habits die hard. Besides, you’re wearing one too.”

Shinichi shrugged. “So, why are you still here? You clearly knew I’d be waiting for you on the roof.”

KID turned to Shinichi, the grin on his face feeling almost nostalgic. “I like it here. I think I’ll stay.”

“I’m sure Scotland Yard will let you have your pick of high security cells.”

“You’ll keep coming won’t you?” KID questioned, and for a moment Shinichi felt like they were having two different conversations. “If I keep having heists here in the UK?”

“I take it you still think you are getting away.”

“Of course.” There wasn’t even a hint of doubt in KID’s words. “If he couldn’t catch me on his first try, you certainly aren’t going to.”

Behind the gas mask a smirk formed on Shinichi’s face. “I wouldn’t count on it.” It didn’t matter who he was being compared to, Shinichi was confident in his skills.

KID shot him a pitying look. “You’ve clearly never met Meitantei.”

Shinichi couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but that nickname… meant something to him. And the fact that he didn’t know what it was, meant it had something to do with his missing time. It was odd though. He’d been called Meitantei by a number of people ever since he got back from wherever he’d been for his missing years, yet, this was the first time he’d had this feeling.

“You Ok, Detective?”

When had KID gotten that close?! “I’m fine.”

“Could have fooled me.” The thief replied as he laced his fingers behind his head, walking back towards the railing and the trap Shinichi and his team had set. “Maybe you need to take off your gas mask and get a little air.”

Shinichi loosened the gas mask straps and pulled it from him face. “Didn’t feel enough like a face to face conversation anyways.”

-xoXox-

Kaito froze. “Shinichi?” He breathed as he fought to pull his crumbing poker face back together.

It wasn’t possible. Shinichi couldn’t be the Interpol agent in the gas mask. He just couldn’t be. Kaito whirled. “_Where have you been!?”_ He demanded in Japanese. _“Do you have any idea how much time I’ve spent looking for you!?”_

Shinichi looked confused. “Why would you be looking for me?”

_“Because you disappeared.”_

Blue eyes widened. “You know me.” It wasn’t a question.

Poker face. Poker face. Poker face. “Who doesn’t know you Great Detective of the East?”

Shinichi’s face scrunched up like it tended to when the detective was working on a particularly difficult problem._ “You knew me during the years I was missing.”_ Again, it wasn’t a question.

Kaito shrugged noncommittally.

_“How long?”_ Shinichi demanded.

Kaito took a deeper breath than he’d intended to, the familiar pain of heartbreak swelling in his chest. Shinichi still didn’t remember him. The detective was just doing what detectives do and putting the pieces together. _“Who knows?”_

_“Damnit KID! Just tell me. It’s important.”_

Kaito cocked his head to the side slightly. _“Is it?”_

Shinichi seemed to remember himself as one of his Interpol co-workers shifted in the shadows. _“Fine don’t tell me. Be the enigmatic as moonlight magi…” _Then the detective’s eyes seemed to double in size as some sort of realization hit him. “You were there.”

“Here. There. I get around Meitantei.”

Shinichi’s eyes were wide with panic. Kaito wasn’t holding himself together particularly well either. Shinichi had been a little off ever since he’d taken the APTX 4869 antidote, but this was more than that. The unbendable, unbreakable strength that Kaito associated with the detective was wavering before his very eyes. What had happened to Shinichi since he’d left Japan?

_“You were there when they tortured me.”_

Kaito chocked on air. _“You remember?”_

Fear flashed through Shinichi’s eyes. _“No. But I feel like you were there.”_

It took everything Kaito had to blink back the tears forming in his eyes. _“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. Honestly, if you hadn’t suspected they’d come for you… If you hadn’t intentionally left clues behind… Damnit Meitantei, you scared the hell out of me. And when I finally found you, beaten and bloody, you still had the strength to smile and tell me you knew I’d make it in time._

_“I almost didn’t. It didn’t matter how many trackers I planted on you. How closely I watched you. Watched for them. You were just there one second and gone the next.”_

-xoXox-

KID was shaking, the composure he was known for having vanished into thin air. _“I thought I’d lost you Meitantei. And then I lost you anyways. Six years Shinichi! You forgot the six years we spent chasing each other, forming on again off again alliances for the greater good, hunting the organizations that sent you into hiding and killed my father. We’d won! And then you had to go and forget we’d ever even met!”_

Shinichi was taken aback. KID was a criminal, albeit a non-violent one, but he and Shinichi had apparently been close. _“But you’re a thief.”_

_“I’d give it all up again to get back what we had.”_

_“What do you mean by again?”_

KID probably would have answered if the rooftop door hadn’t flung open at that exact moment to reveal a sparkly slime covered Saguru. But instead of an answer, all Shinichi got was a face full of smoke and hours of paperwork to fill out. KID was gone and so was the only person that seemed willing to talk to him about the time he was missing. Well except for Kaito. But Shinichi had burned that bridge as soon as he had realized it formed. He and Kaito weren’t friends like the magician had said. They were more than that. And Shinichi couldn’t handle the thought.

In hindsight he knew he’d made a mistake. But Shinichi had been scared. And Kaito, free spirited, always happy, breath of fresh air Kaito, had deserved more than Shinichi could give him. Even now, Kaito was more than Shinichi could ever have imagined deserving.

He picked up the phone without thinking.

_“Hello?” _Kaito answered on the third ring.

Shinichi’s throat felt too dry to speak. He hadn’t even considered the time difference. _“Kai…”_

_“Shinichi?!” _Kaito sounded… happy to hear from him.

_“I… I need to apologize.”_

Kaito’s confusion came in clear across the phone line. _“What for?”_

_“I pushed you away instead of explaining. I… didn’t think… I still don’t think I deserve someone like you. Hell… I don’t think I ever deserved a friend like KID either. But it turns out we were… maybe not friends, but at least allies… I think… I think the person I was before I lost my memories was a better person than I am now.”_

The phone was quiet for a moment. _“You’re wrong.”_

_“Thanks for saying so. But who am I to just call you up out of the blue?”_

Kaito’s breath hitched. _“Shinichi…” _He sounded almost hopeful, though that may have just been wishful thinking on Shinichi’s part.

_“I’m sure you’ve moved on.” _Shinichi continued. _“I just needed to tell you. I’m sorry.”_

Kaito sighed. _“You ruined me for other people forever you know. And trust me I’ve looked.”_

_“Sorry.”_

_“Don’t be.”_

Beyond that Shinichi didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t exactly planned out a conversation. And once he’d dialed… he’d sort of expected Kaito to hang up. _“How have you been?”_

_“Now that, my dear detective, is an interesting story! How much time do you have?”_

Shinichi couldn’t help but smile. If KID was like moonlight, Kaito was like sunlight, bright and warm, impossible to touch but glorious all the same. _“Not much I’m afraid. It’s well past midnight here.”_

_“Another time then. Say 4pm JST tomorrow?”_

_“I’d like that. Thank you, Kaito.”_

_“Of course. Good night ,Shinichi!”_

-xoXox-

Kaito looked down at his phone. Well not his phone. KID’s phone. The one that only 3 people had ever known the number to. Jii, Kaito’s mother, and Shinichi. He’d nearly had a heart attack when it had started ringing, after all, Jii was in the room with him, his mother knew better than to call within 24 hours of a heist (pre or post), and Shinichi didn’t even remember that they’d ever faced off under the moonlight.

_“Bou-sama?” _Jii questioned. He hadn’t been thrilled the first time Kaito had brought Shinichi around. He’d been even less thrilled to find out that Shinichi knew that Kaito was KID. And then when Shinichi had forgotten about Kaito entirely… Jii was really not a fan of Shinichi.

_“I’m still in love with him, OK?”_

Concern was written across Jii’s face. _“Did you give him KID’s phone number?”_

_“Of course not!” _Katio snapped, the realization of what that meant sinking in more slowly. _“He remembered…”_

_“At least a little. I would advise you to be careful with him though. Just because he accepted you as KID before doesn’t mean he’ll be willing to overlook your less than legal activities now.”_

Kaito wanted to laugh. He really did. But the trap that Interpol had set up on the roof top was proof enough that Shinichi had meant to catch KID. To a less skilled thief the trap might even have been dangerous. It was both complimentary and terrifying that Shinichi was taking KIDs capture so seriously. _“Don’t worry so much Jii-chan. Shinichi doesn’t even know I’m here in the UK.”_

_“But it won’t stay that way.”_

That gave Kaito pause. _“You think he’ll investigate me?”_

_“No, Bou-sama. I think you’ll give the information away.”_

Kaito’s eyes narrowed on Jii where he was packing up the remains of the night’s magic tricks. _“I wouldn’t put you at risk like that.”_

Jii chuckled. _“Not intentionally. But do you really think your detective won’t piece it together?”_

_“He’d have no reason to suspect…”_

Jii cut Kaito off. _“He wouldn’t need a reason, Bou-sama. Kudo-kun is to deduction as you are to magic. He can’t turn it off.”_

_“That’s an exaggeration.”_

_“Has Kudo-kun ever asked you to get fish with him?”_

_“No, but…” _Actually, Kaito didn’t have a defense for that. He’d never told Shinichi about his phobia. Ever. Yet in an island nation where fish is the primary source of protein, the detective had never once suggested they go out for sushi. Even after the detective had lost his memories.

-xoXox-

Shinichi fell into Doctor Phanenstel’s couch more than he sat down on it. Between the heist itself, all the paperwork that came in the wake of it, and the disturbingly detailed dreams he’d been having for the past week, Shinichi was exhausted. Not so exhausted that he’d missed even one of Kaito’s six phone calls. But that was to be expected. It was Kaito who was calling after all.

“How are you today, Shinichi?” The doctor questioned. She wore her usual professional smile, but something seemed just a bit off.

“Tired. It’s been a very busy week.”

“How so?”

“Well first there was a Kaitou KID heist. Which was actually pretty exhilarating.” Shinichi paused weighing the pros and cons of saying anything more on the subject. “And it turns out that KID knows me. Or at least knew me before. Remember when I told you about the moonlight in my dreams?”

The doctor made a noise of affirmation.

“At the time I told you that moonlight feels like a promise, like hope.”

The doctor nodded.

“I’m pretty sure KID is my moonlight.”

For a second the expression that crossed the doctor’s face was incredulous. But it was back to understanding and encouraging in the blink of an eye.

Shinichi laughed. “That’s not a bad reaction if you know anything about the man. But where ever I was, whatever I was doing, it sounds like KID was there. He’s not the only one from my past I reconnected with this week though. I’m not sure I ever told you about him. After all, I left Japan to get as far away from him as I could. But I reconnected with Kaito this week too.”

“Do you think that is a good thing or a bad thing?”

Shinichi scratched at his cheek. “I’m not sure. I mean… I don’t think I’ll ever be the man that Kaito was in love with. And I don’t think I’ll ever get over the guilt associated with that. But I also realize now how much of an idiot I was for trying to push him away.”

“So, Kaito is a romantic interest?”

“Ex-boyfriend.” Shinichi clarified. “He was there when I woke up.”

The doctor nodded in understanding. She knew that what Shinichi was really trying to say was ‘He was there when I woke up on a metal table in the basement of a man I thought I trusted with no recollection of how I got there or why it felt like my bones had melted and re-congealed’. At least that was how Shinichi would have phrased it if he’d been willing to share the thought out loud.

“Why don’t you tell me a little about him?” The doctor suggested.

“Well… He’s a magician. A great one. World class. I’d never admit it to him, but there are about a dozen tricks I’ve seen him do that I’d be hard pressed to come up with logical explanations for. His ego really doesn’t need the boost though. And he’s kind, once you get past the brash exterior, with a soft spot in his heart for all things furry or feathered. He’s got a whole flock of doves that might as well be his biological offspring for how well cared for they are. He’s terrified of fish though.”

-xoXox-

Kaito cursed himself silently. This had been a terrible idea. Not only was it a breach of trust, but he was definitely going to get caught. It didn’t matter that Shinichi didn’t look like he’d slept in days. The detective was sure to catch on to the fact that the therapist sitting across from him wasn’t reacting quite the way she should. Honestly, it should have occurred to Kaito earlier that of course there would be subtext he didn’t understand. And now here he was, listening to Shinichi describe him like Kaito was actually someone special and not someone the detective had abandoned back in Japan.

“Is that enough information for you KID?” Shinichi questioned casually as Kaito’s world imploded.

“You figured me out huh?”

Shinichi smirked. “The doctor wouldn’t have asked me if reconnecting with Kaito was a good thing or a bad thing. She’s certainly one for asking leading questions, but never with something as ambiguous as good or bad. So why are you here?”

“I was worried about you.”

Shinichi’s slow blink said more than words could have, but he threw in a verbal “Why?” anyways.

“I’m allowed to care.” Kaito defended.

“I suppose. But you are an internationally wanted jewel thief and I am an Interpol agent. So why take the risk?”

Kaito swallowed. Maybe Jii was right. Maybe KID wasn’t as safe with Shinichi as he had once been. “Because I still trust you.”

Shinichi twitched before falling over in a fit of laughter. By the time he finally got a few words out he was using a throw pillow to support his weight. “Thank god. I don’t know what I’d do if you disappeared on me.”

Kaito couldn’t even guess what his face would look like if he weren’t wearing his ingrained poker face. On one hand. Shinichi cared. On the other hand. Kaito wasn’t the one who disappeared.

“I know.” Shinichi answered as if he’d heard Kaito’s thoughts. “It’s a selfish thing to say. But honestly, your heist… It was the first time I’ve felt alive in the last year.”

Kaito relaxed his posture, sinking into the doctor’s chair. “I missed the challenge too. Hakuba is a poor substitute for you, Meitantei.”

“So I chased you even when I’d stopped trying to catch you?”

“What makes you think you ever stopped trying to catch me?” Kaito countered.

Shinichi’s response was completely deadpan. “You still trust me.”

-xoXox-

The phone in Kaito’s pocket buzzed three times before falling silent again. That wasn’t unusual by itself. But the timing was. As a general rule, Shinichi only texted between the hours of 7am and noon. Midnight was an aberration.

_‘Did you move?’_

_‘Well yeah. I’m on tour you know.’_

The phone started ringing in Kaito’s hand.

_“Did you used to live in Edoka?” _ Was the first thing out Shinichi’s mouth.

_“Yeah. Why?”_

_“I think I’m standing in front of your old house. But the name tag doesn’t read Kuroba.”_

Kaito nearly chocked. _“You’re in Japan?! At my house? How did you even find it?” _Kaito’s mother had been very adamant about making sure their address didn’t show up in any public directories… but knowing Shinichi he’d just asked the police to look it up for him.

_“I… Gave the taxi the address on impulse when I left the airport.”_

Kaito had to swallow twice before the words came out. _“I moved out after you left.”_

_“We spent a lot of time together here didn’t we.”_

_“Yeah. We did.”_

_ “So where are you now? I want to see you before I go back.”_

Kaito bit his bottom lip. How exactly was he supposed to answer that? _“I’m not actually in the country right now.”_

_“You’re not?” _Shinichi sounded concerned. _“Have I been calling at bad times?”_

_“No! Of course not. I mean you know me. I don’t sleep anyhow.”_

_“Kai…”_

_“I’m in Europe. So its just a little past midnight. But I would happily forgo sleep for you anytime, Detective.”_

Kaito could practically hear Shinichi’s smile through the phone. _“Tell me where. I want to come see one of your shows when I get back. I’m actually working out of London now.”_

Against anyone’s better judgement, Kaito gave Shinichi the time and location for his next Kaitou KID heist.

-xoXox-

“Too bad you are taking vacation tomorrow.” Shinichi’s boss commented as he waved a white card in an evidence bag. “ID 1412 sent us another notice.”

“You’ll just have to catch him for me.”

Blake laughed. “We’ll see what we can do. Take a look at the notice before you go though. We still haven’t quite figured it out.”

Shinichi’s coffee mug clattered to the floor, the contents creating a pool around his feet.

“Kudo?!”

Shinichi turned on his heel, not bothering with his fallen mug. “I need to make a call.”

The phone rang five times before Kaito picked up. _“Sorry, Shinichi, now isn’t really a good time.”_

_“Don’t do it.”_

_“Excuse me?”_

_“Don’t do it.”_

_“What are you talking about, Shinichi? Are you okay?”_

_“Kai,”_ Shinichi didn’t even know he could sound that desperate, _“Please, just cancel the heist.”_

The voice that flowed from the phone after that wasn’t Kaito’s, it was KID’s. _“And why should I do that, Meitantei?”_

_“Because I’m asking you to.”_

KID hummed.

_“I only remember bits and pieces. But after a year of therapy, there are two things I know for certain about my missing time._

_ We won by the skin of our teeth. _

_ And I’d do it all over again if that’s what it took to meet you._

_ I never stopped loving you, Kai. I just didn’t know how to be in love with you.”_

Kaito swallowed, the sound coming in loud and clear across the phone line. _“And now, Detective?”_

_“I know I’ll love you till my very last breath.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! Happy ending! I wasn't entirely certain where I was going with this till I wrote the very last line.


End file.
